Baseball Diners Strike Out

May 19, 2008

in Tipping & Etiquette Stories

This is a quick tipping story, meant more as an admonition to those attending sporting events than to trash anyone. If you happen to attend a major league baseball game where in-seat wait service brings food from a menu, as opoosed to the usual vendors selling one item, please realize we servers are working for tips, even though we’re not quite the same as waitresses in a restaurant. I was a server in such a ball park for a number of years. A fellow server of mine had a group in his section who ran up a tab of $130, charged it to his corporate AmEx, and left a tip of… $0.

Now, it’s true that the policies are different in different ballparks. For example, at Safeco Field in Seattle, the tip is automatically added to your bill (19%), and pooled among the wait staff, just to prevent situations like this. And at Oriole Park in Baltimore, the lady that takes your food order and the guy that brings it don’t share, pool, or split tips. But folks, those people (beer vendors too, for that matter) are running up and down stairs all night, in the summer, in blazing heat (except in Minneapolis), working their buns off. A $0 tip is just gauche!

Robin

{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

Rob April 2, 2009 at 9:23 pm

Robin, people are asses.

But, trying to explain that what you do for a living is difficult, sweaty, or actual hard work isn’t a good way to get sympathy.

Every server has an ‘I GOT STIFFED’ story. The thing is, they have a hundred others where they got their 20-30-50 bucks, untraceable by the IRS.

Let’s hear those stories, with names and addresses.

Reply

jaymoney April 3, 2009 at 11:06 am

Hey Rob, suck it!

What did you think this website was designed for? IRS funds recovery?

I work part time at Dolphin Stadium as a bartender and it's HARD WORK. Maybe if crawled your fat ass out of your A/C filled cubicle and tried a service industry job you'd have an ounce of appreciation. You know you're a non-tipper.

Reply

CardAgainstTrolls February 18, 2018 at 7:24 pm

What do you think this website is designed for. It is for talking about bad eating experiences! You should not be insulting someone. I don't care if it makes you happy. Get out of your parent's basement and start being nice. There's a first time for everything.

Reply

Eva September 15, 2009 at 8:32 pm

I use my card to pay. I leave the tip $0 and tip in cash. I tip at least 20% for good service.

Reply

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